By Tonderai Chiyindiko

Foreward

Across Africa’s thriving music scenes, talent abounds—but talent alone is not enough. As this article highlights, the lack of professional artist management remains a pressing challenge for South Africa’s creative ecosystem. What should be a strength—a vibrant music economy—is undermined by a skills gap that leaves many artists unsupported, careers short-lived, and opportunities lost.

Within CfCA’s pillars of public investment, youth/women empowerment, and sector professionalisation, this discussion goes beyond South Africa. It reflects a continental urgency: to invest in training, build infrastructure, and position artist management as a strategic driver for job creation, sustainability, and growth in the cultural and creative industries (CCIs).

In 2022, South African entertainment magazine, SAHipHopMag ran a story with the heading DJ Maphorisa Reveals Whats Lacking on The SA Music Scene based on a tweet the internationally acclaimed multiple award-winning artist and producer, DJ Maphorisa had made. In it, he expressed concern about the South African music industry and intimated that the sector’s downfall would be primarily due to the absence of capable, qualified and professional artist managers.

DJ Maphorisa (Photo – sahiphopmagazine.co.za)

Three years later, in 2025, DJ Maphorisa was a guest on the podcast POWER Talk with Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on local radio station Power FM where he again brought up the issue and this time further highlighted how the South African music industry mostly had booking agents who were now forced by circumstances or opportunity to ‘double-up’ as artist managers. In the podcast, he gave an example of how he had assisted fellow producer, DJ and artist Kabza De Small from an artist management perspective by advising him of how to handle media, corporates and even what to say or not say on social media among other things. Of course, the role of artist manager extends beyond this, but DJ Maphorisa brought to light was that this was one of the critical skills gaps within the South African music ecosystem.

University lecturer and Managing Director of KwaZulu-Natal United Music Industry Association (KUMISA), Thando Nyameni echoes DJ Maphorisa’s sentiments and shares what his own organisation is doing to try and address this issue.“I completely agree with the sentiments recently shared by (DJ) Maphorisa regarding the shortage of effective and reputable artist managers in South Africa and across many parts of the globe. A huge part of this challenge stems from the widespread misunderstanding of what an artist manager actually does. Too often, booking agents, road managers, or other role-players are mistaken for artist managers simply because the function has never been clearly defined”, says Nyameni.

Thando Nyameni, Managing Director, KUMISA (Photo – KUMISA)

Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) Executive Director, Eddie Hatitye views the lack of professional artist management as a structural weakness which poses a major threat to the South African music sector.

“The gap in professional artist management is one of the most pressing structural weaknesses in the South African music industry today, and indeed across much of the continent…(and) speaks directly to what we, at the Music In Africa Foundation, have observed for years: a landscape where artists are often left to self-manage or rely on informal networks that do not fully understand the business of music. Talent management is one of the most supreme critical skills we need in this industry and we hope the sector can unite to build capacities around this. South Africa has an abundance of creative talent, but talent without professional infrastructure is a missed opportunity”, says Hatitye.

Eddie Hatitye, Executive Director, Music In Africa Foundation (Photo – Music In Africa Foundation)

Whereas Artist Managers play a critical role in an artist’s career, it is important that there is a shared understanding of what the role entails which in certain circumstances might mean the development of local and context specific understandings of where this role starts and ends as highlighted by Thando Nyameni and Eddie Hatitye. Such shared understanding will and should then result in the development of curriculum, training programmes and other interventions which not only deal with the immediate challenges the South African music industry faces when it comes to artist management but also leads to the creation of future-proof-ed Artist Managers who intimately know about IP and copyright and how to exploit it for the benefit of the artist, and who can navigate the challenges and opportunities posed by technologies such as AI.

Brad Holmes, the legendary venue owner, music promoter, artist manager and producer of several music-oriented initiatives such as Fete de la Musique and Bassline Live music concerts has had a front row seat as the live music scene in South Africa has developed and feels that it is critical that emerging artist managers understand the complexities of this role.“The Artist Manager is responsible for finding the correct or most fitting agents for particular (global) territories (and) is connected to all the programmers of all the (local and international) festivals and venues…(and thus should) know how the music industry is working and forecast how it will work in the future and how it will be best for the artist…” says Holmes.

Brad Holmes, Founder/Managing Director, Bassline (Photo – bassline.co.za)

What emerges from what Brad Holmes shares is that artist management is a complex role which requires agility, a vast network with local and global stakeholders and an understanding of the uniqueness of the artist(s) being managed and how to best connect them to opportunities for collaborations, sponsorships and networks which will ensure that the artist(s) can achieve local acclaim and global commercial success.

The skills gap in artist management poses a major challenge to the South African music ecosystem but also presents an opportunity for development of both short- and long-term training programmes to equip young people facing unemployment with skills to enter this less glamours yet critical component of the South African music industry. 

The much vaunted Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Master Plan (2022) mentions the creation of the Creative Industries Skills Development Forum made up of representatives from SETAs such Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA), industry and government, and though the document does contain the Music Key Action Plan, the focus and preoccupation seems to be on “creative instrument and sound production equipment manufacturing” than artist management. The National Music Sector Policy and Strategy (2024) report explicitly highlights the issue as follows:

“…there is a need for increased career prospects for music graduates. Furthermore, there is a gap in formalised music business education, particularly in the field of music law, which should be addressed to equip future professionals with essential knowledge.” The National Music Sector Policy and Strategy (2024), p45

Though initiatives such as the Southern African Music Rights Organisation’s (SAMRO) Music Business Skills Programme and the Music Business Academy Southern Africa’s Music Business Network Sessions are welcome, what is needed when it comes to artist management are not half day ‘masterclasses’ but proper and expansive training programmes which can be integrated into the curriculum offered both at private and higher education institutions which are offering music programmes and courses.

Until the South African music sector players and other key stakeholders take the issue of artist management seriously, stories of how many young talents set stages alight yet never fully develop as artists or benefit financially from their talent will continue being the norm rather than the exception.

 Editor’s Note

Cultural Policy Writer and Advocate, Tonderai Chiyindiko – Photo by : Zanoxolo Bonginkosi Muchanga

Tonderai Chiyindiko is an experienced arts manager, researcher, and writer from Zimbabwe, with over 15 years of experience contributing to local and international platforms. His work focuses on cultural entrepreneurship, leadership, and policy advocacy across Africa’s creative and cultural industries.

In this feature, he draws attention to the critical gap in professional artist management in South Africa—an issue with profound implications across the continent. By reframing this weakness as a massive opportunity for skills development and youth employment, Tonderai reminds us that strategic investment in capacity building is essential for Africa’s music industry to achieve its full potential.